Narrating Music
by rubia1516
Summary: Bella runs away from home when Charlie is killed in a drug-related gunshot accident. 5 years later, Bella is a well-known Burlesque dancer. One night Bella comes in to work to dance for a big-time drug dealer and is shocked to find her childhood best friend Edward in cahoots with the "Drug Lord". Edward is now an undercover detective trying to bring Charlie's death to justice.HUMAN
1. Chapter 1

This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while and I kinda hope it makes up for the stories everyone liked that I took down

**Face Down**

Edward's POV:

"I just couldn't believe that she gave me a D-!" Jess exclaimed, "I mean I _wrote _the fucking thing, didn't I?" I leaned my head on my hand and closed my eyes, trying to drown out her whiny, obnoxious voice. "It took me forever, too." She continued, "I was up until like 11 finishing it, and she didn't even care." I felt the bench sink a little, and knew Bella had _finally _shown up. She leaned in to my ear, and I could smell her; it made me want to kiss her.

"She's still whining about that paper, huh?" I opened my eyes and nodded, smiling at her. She snorted, and dug into her pizza.

"And you have no idea how mean she is to me in class too. I mean, just the other day I was totally paying attention, and she still picked me to answer some bullshit made up question that I didn't even-"

"Jess," Bella cut her off, and I tried my hardest to cover my grin, "You plagiarized. You should have gotten an F and then been suspended. I'm sorry, girl, but you got so so lucky. Stop whining." Jessica's artificially green eyes went wide, and her French manicured nails gripped the table.

"You are a lying bitch, Bella. You just don't care because you aced the stupid thing." Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom." She said, and turned to stare meaningfully at her pack of cronies. They picked up their purses dutifully, and followed her out. Even I could figure out that this was girl language for _let's go talk about Bella in the bathroom. _Bella knew it too. She sort of slumped over in her chair and picked a piece of pepperoni off her pizza in a slightly dejected way.

I frowned, and stood up; nobody, especially an airhead like Jess picked on my Bells. I felt the eyes of everyone sitting at our table, including Bella's, follow me as I walked to Jess's spot and picked up her pizza. I flipped it over and let it drizzle out so that the orange-colored grease coated her chair imperceptibly against the navy colored seat.

Bella giggled as I sat back down next to her and ate the piece of pizza. The rest of our friends laughed, too. Nobody really liked Jess except her little group of followers… and it really wasn't cool for her to be picking on my best friend. Well, actually it wasn't cool for her to be picking on the girl I was madly in love with, even if the feeling wasn't mutual.

The fact was, I'd been interested in Bella since she'd moved here in 6th grade. It turned to puppy love in 9th and now was full-blown, walk-on-cloud-nine _in love _in our senior year.

"I love you too Eddy-poo." Bella threw our inside joke at me. She laughed again as I popped the last piece of crust in my mouth. I leaned over and blew a greasy raspberry on her cheek. She squealed playfully, and put both hands on my chest, trying to push me away. I threw my arms around her, and pulled her closer as she laughed out loud, neither of us caring that we were making a spectacle.

Then someone coughed right behind me, and Bella's brown eyes flew open, going from that combination of light-heartedness and mischief that I loved, to raw fear. I felt her muscles go rigid, and I turned to see Jake standing right behind me; all 6 feet, 4 inches of him. I released her from my arms, stood up, and grinned at him even though my blood was boiling.

"What's up, man?" I held out my hand, and he took it, sliding his palm across mine in a way that showed he wasn't really mad, he just liked to see Bella jump. In some sick way, he loved to see fear on her face. It made him feel powerful, I guess. He punched me on the arm firmly, but not enough to hurt as he passed me, and sunk into my place on the bench, half dragging Bella into his lap.

"Nothing much, just trying to figure out why you're always hitting on my girlfriend." He said. His voice was light, but his eyes were dead serious. I pulled up a chair, coming up with an answer that would keep Bella completely out of harm's way as I carried it over. I hadn't missed how she'd gulped at his comment.

As it turned out, I didn't have to answer at all;

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Someone shrieked from the other end of the table. I sat down, and leaned back to watch my plan unravel. "Who the FUCK ate my pizza?" Her little herd stood watching her with wide eyes, and the whole cafeteria seemed to go quiet.

"Damn, Jess…" Mike stood up. I gave the guy credit; he wasn't all that smart but he had guts; being Jessica's boyfriend took a lot of kahunas. "It's just pizza. Here, I'll go get you another. Sit down, babe. Can you please try to relax? You're acting like a crazy person." Clearly he hadn't been around when I strategically placed the grease; well, either that or he was fed up with her shit, too.

Jess took a seat, and started whispering to her little group, their eyes landing on my Bella at intervals. I felt like I could kill her for trying to ostracize the one person who was truly like family to me.

Suddenly Jess stopped mid-gossip, and slid around a little on the seat, moving her butt back and forth, a puzzled look on her horse-face. I shifted in my seat, noticing that she was wearing a clean, light pink skirt. As her friends took notice that she wasn't leading the conversation anymore, she started to move around more in the chair, trying to figure out if she was imaging it.

She turned to one of her friends and whispered something, probably along the lines of _Can you check and see if there's something on my butt?_ She leaned to one side, and the friend glanced as she was supposed to. Her gasp was audible from where I was sitting.

Bella's POV:

I heard a gasp come from Emily, and turned to look. The sound put an alarmed look on Jess's face, and I tried not to look too amused as she tilted to the left for a look. Her face went bright red, and I looked down at my food, pretending not to notice.

Some murmuring came from her end of the table, undoubtedly her and her friends trying to find the least-embarrassing solution to the situation.

I couldn't help myself, I glanced up for a look and saw Jessica's eyes searching hungrily for someone to blame. Her eyes fixed on me, and my stomach dropped; I felt like the gazelle that you always see on Animal Planet that was just picked out by the lioness as the weakest to attack.

She stood in anger, but made no other move towards me; I'd half-expected her to pounce across the table at me, the look was so deadly.

As always, to my rescue, Edward started laughing out loud, his eyes on Jessica.

"Jess, what the hell is on your ass?" He laughed, and all eyes, both guilty parties and not, landed on a particular greasy orange butt. "Oh gross," he pretended to gag, "Look, I don't know much about, you know, Mother Nature's gift to women, but that just can't be healthy." The entire table laughed, and I loved him just a little bit more, if that was possible. He'd saved me from her wrath, yet again.

A giant hand tightened around my shoulder, and I was reminded of the one thing it seemed Edward _couldn't _save me from. Jake was booming with laughter, and I could most feel it vibrating throughout my body, he was so close to me.

"Did you do that?" He asked, and I shook my head no, not sure what the right answer was...not sure that there was a right answer at all. He frowned, "Yes you did. Don't bullshit me." The fingers tightened a little from merely present and possessive, to threatening; just on the brink of pain. I felt my scalp tingle, and tried to make myself smaller. I glanced at Edward, but he wasn't paying attention.

"I honestly didn't, baby." My voice sounded small, but if I was bold, he just got madder. "I swear." The look on his face made me cringe, and I felt like I'd rather be the gazelle. He responded to the face by tightening his hold on my shoulder until I could feel the fingers digging into my flesh, and bruising it.

"You're a dirty fucking liar, now why don't you tell the truth to your boyfriend?" Jessica still had the whole table's attention, thankfully; they all laughed as her friends tried to hustle her out to safety from more mortification. Everyone except Edward.

"Yo, Jake…relax, man." I shut my eyes against the remark. It just made things worse when he intervened. The fingers got even tighter, and I resisted the urge to cry out. Jake's dark eyes turned on Edward.

"Why don't you mind your own business, _man?_" He said with hostility, "She's my girlfriend, right?" I send Edward a pleading glance, begging him to not say anything else. He looked pained, but gave in.

"Sure sure Jake, I was just saying…the kid bruises like an apple, you know?" He smiled at him, and Jake turned back to me.

"Now tell me the truth, Bell." I reached up my free hand and put it on his face as affectionately as I could manage with the pain shooting through my arm.

"Of course I did it, baby. You're so smart…you always know, don't you?" I smiled, and his fingers loosened a little. I finished the act by pressing my mouth to his, trying not to flinch when he put one arm around me, a hand roughing tangled in my hair, and stuck his tongue into my mouth, sweeping around greedily.

I heard Edward sigh somewhere to my left, and I felt like crying.


	2. Chapter 2

Airplanes

Bella's POV:

I sat at my desk and typed away at the keys, ignoring the throbbing in my arm where Jake had grabbed me. I'd sort of gotten used to it, after almost 3 years of dating; and through experience, I'd learned how to divert most of the violence. I frowned as I lost my train of thought, and leaned back in my desk chair, sighing, and not really having the will to finish the essay that wasn't due for 2 weeks anyway. _ I need a distraction. _I thought as I closed my eyes with my hands on my legs.

As if on command, the door bell rang. I frowned, and listened hard for who was at the door. My eyes flew open, and I grinned as I heard Edward's familiar laugh as he conversed with Charlie, and the tromp of his feet up the stairs to my room.

"Honey, I'm home!" I laughed as he threw open my door with that crooked grin on his face, and strode to my bed to flop down and sprawl out across the covers.

"How was work, dear?" I asked, and crawled into the bed to snuggle up against him.

"An awful mess, my love. Some poor woman had a horrible accident in a light pink skirt, if you catch my drift…" I giggled, and smelled his collar, his indescribable sent filled my nose; a delicious mix of tangy and spicy that no cologne could copy. "And then, a good friend of mine was assaulted in front of me by her steroid ridden, Hulk of a boyfriend." The amusement went out of the situation then, and a lump came into my throat. I made a move to sit up, but he pulled me back against his chest. "Bells, why do you let him hurt you?" I swallowed, and closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see his.

"I-" He stopped my by putting his hand on my cheek.

"Open your eyes Bella." I did, and gasped quietly. His eyes were so full of emotion it took me a good five seconds to sort them out; a mix of love, anxiety, angst, anger, and longing filled them, and I had to resist the urge to lean in and kiss him. "There is no excuse, here. I've watched it go on too long. How many more times are you going to blame the bruises and cuts and marks on your clumsiness? How long do you want me to lie to Charlie for you?" His voice was choked, and he looked frustrated. I pulled against his arms again, and he let me go like I knew he would.

"I've tried breaking up with him, Edward." I said, turning away from him. "Don't you remember how that went?" His response came in a hushed whisper.

"We had to tell Charlie you had another accident on the motorcycles, you were so bad…" As hard as I tried to keep them back, the tears started to overflow at the memory. "But I'd stop him, Bella. We know what he's capable of now, and I could protect you." I shook my head, visualizing a fight between the two, and how it would end. Edward wasn't weak, by any means, but Jacob was just so _strong. _I could never live, knowing that I'd caused my best friend that much pain.

I was so sick of Jacob holding me back from what I wanted.

Edward's POV:

She'd turned her head away, but I could still tell she was crying. I reached up to cup her chin gently between my thumb and pointer, and turned her chin to face me. Her eyes were closed, and the tears chased each other down her cheeks.

I sat up with her, and put my left arm around her, pulling her against me. I kept her chin in my right fingers, hoping against hope that it would somehow keep her from turning away from me being so close. I moved my forehead to rest against hers; something we hadn't done since 8th grade, when we both matured some, and realized it was sort of off-bounds.

She grinned, remembering the first time I'd done it to her, when we were little kids:

"_Bella Bella Bella." I'd said, looking at her up close with her huge brown eyes and matching hair, curtaining her pale skin. We had our foreheads pressed together, and we were staring into each other's eyes, "When I look at you this close, it looks like you only have one eye." She'd giggled, and kissed me on the cheek. _

"Bella Bella Bella." I grinned back, and she opened her eyes, "When I look at you this close, it looks like you only have one eye." We said together, and laughed out loud.

Our noses brushed, reminding me why we'd stopped doing this in the first place. Her breath smelled so sweet. I gulped, and blinked, still staring into those big brown eyes like I'd done a million years ago. She seemed to notice the closeness, too, and I prepared myself for her to pull back, for the absence of her body heat. I felt my eyes grow a little wider in surprise when she didn't, but instead looked down at my lips, and back into my eyes, her cheeks flushing a little. My heart skipped a beat, and then did double time as she ran her tongue over her top lip, millimeters from touching mine.

I pulled her legs up into my lap with my left hand, not breaking eye contact, and slipped my right arm around her waist, pulling her even closer. I left my hand resting on her thigh, and moved my face so that our lips were almost touching. We stayed like that for perhaps half a minute, but it seemed like hours. I loved every second of that agony; dying to kiss her, but lacking the will to scare her out of being my friend. "I could never lose you." I whispered, and my voice was hoarse.

She shook her head, "Never." I slipped my hand up her back to cup her head lightly at the same time that our lips crashed.

Bella's POV:

It was like I'd never been kissed in my life; nothing this sharp had ever happened to me with Jacob—it was like little zaps of electricity were coming from his lips, and I kept gasping and letting out little yelps of surprise as he would change it up, and do something to turn me on even more.

He slipped his tongue into my mouth, and I moaned, winding my fingers in his hair, and holding on tight, never willing to let him pull back. He groaned as I pulled at his hair, and doubled his efforts, making me gasp yet again. I bit his lip gently as we pulled apart for air, and he picked me up so that we were pressed against each other, propped against the pillows, and he started kissing my neck, encouraging a whole new range of sounds from me that made him reach to my night stand for the remote to my radio. Airplanes by B.O.B came on as he slipped a hand under my shirt, and I squealed, grinning against his lips.

"Bella!" Charlie's voice stopped us short, and we pulled back, Edward half on top of me, both of us panting, one of Edward's hands about to undo my bra, and the other clutching me close to him. Mine were serving the same purpose; trying to get my body as close to his as possible.

"Yea dad?" I called, trying to control my voice.

"There's been a break-in at the Fischer's sporting goods store in town, and I have to go help out…I'll be back around midnight probably, ok?" Edward grinned at our luck, and I smiled back.

"Yeah, ok dad...bye!"

"Bye Mr. Swan." Edward called; his voice not at all normal.

"Don't stay up too late, kids. I'll call if I'm gonna be past twelve."

"Kay dad." I heard the door slam, and slipped my hands into Edward's back pockets. "Do you want this?" I asked, biting my bottom lip.

Edwards POV:

"More than anything in the world. I've wanted this since you came back from camp two years ago, and showed up at my house in a mini skirt that made my knees weak." She grinned.

"I've wanted this since we got back to school that year, and Jess was all over you." She laughed, and flushed, "I've really never been that jealous in my whole life." I bowed my head, embarrassed.

"I have something I have to admit." Her hands slipped out of my pockets, making me want them back, and came to either side of my head, coaxing me to look back into her eyes.

"What is it, baby?"

"I've never…been with anyone before…" Her eyes grew wide.

"But I thought you dated Angela for like 6 months that one time?" I flushed again, and moved my eyes away, my head still firmly between her hands.

"We were never very physical…whenever I kissed her or touched her, I saw you. I tasted your mouth…I saw your face, I heard your voice. I couldn't sleep with her, Bells. I only wanted you." There was a pause.

"Edward… look at me." I hesitated, then turned my eyes back.

"I love you." We'd said it a billion times, but somehow this time it was different. "I love you more than anything in this world." I leaned down and brushed her lips with mine softly, feeling the shock of them, making me want her even more than before.

"I love you too, Bella."

Bella's POV:

Sex with Edward was not sex with Jake…It was soft, and loving, and long. Like he was afraid it would end too soon and we would never have it again. I didn't know that that wasn't true; but in the moment, I wanted him forever and ever.

He held me close, and didn't let go. He surprised me at every turn. I'd heard from my friends that guys who were virgin to sex usually didn't last very long the first time, but it was like he was determined to give me pleasure before he came himself.

I felt bad, and considered telling him that I'd never came to Jake, before. That it probably wouldn't happen to me, and some women just couldn't cum with a man. I was on the verge of telling him, of just letting him cum to me, when the pleasure began to build.

Edward's POV:

Just because I'd never been with a girl before, didn't mean I had no clue what I was doing. I concentrated, and held back as long as I could, pumping in and out of her until I felt like I couldn't hold it back any longer, and then pulling out and laying my aching dick on her stomach and fingering her until I was away from the edge again.

The last time I pulled out of her, she wriggled under me, begging me, between gasps, to get back inside her.

"Bells if I get back in I'm gonna cum." She nodded, reaching up and pulling my head down to kiss her.

"I'm ready baby. I'm ready. Cum inside me, Edward." I pushed back in, pumping smooth and sure, feeling the tension rise again. I gritted my teeth, waiting for her, and resisting the urge. My fore head rested on hers, and I kissed her as deeply as I could. I put everything I had into that kiss, begging her body to let it go.

"Cum to me, Bella. Now. Come on, baby." Her hips bucked, and I felt her convulsing around me. She wrapped her legs around me and cried out as I thrust deeper and deeper into her, finally letting go…

Bella's POV:

_I love you so much it hurts, Bella…_

When I woke up, I felt a strong arm wrapped around my torso, holding me against a long, hard body in the most protective way I could imagine. I felt like as long as that pale arm was there, no harm could come to me, and I would stay happy and safe forever. I never wanted to move.

My alarm clock blinked 2:00 AM, and I yawned, dying for a drink of water, but not willing to move a muscle. I felt weak, like I would just fall back down if I stood up.

"I don't know about you," I heard a deep voice rasp, "But I could stand a drink of water." I rolled over in his arms, smiling, and looked into those jungle-green eyes.

"I'm dying," my own scratchy voice surprised me, "But I think if I stand up I'll just fall back down." I laughed, and he grinned back.

"I'll get it then." He went to move, but I pressed my face to his chest, smelling him.

"Five minutes?" I had a strange feeling that if he moved, this whole perfect bubble of a world that we were currently in would be popped.

He settled back down, and moved his arms around me in another safe cocoon. "How did you know I was awake?" I asked after a few moments. He smiled that amazing crooked smile of his, and looked down.

"You were talking in your sleep." He looked back up, "Saying things that made it hurt, it felt so good…things about us." I flushed, wondering what I'd said. He kissed me, and i kissed him back, holding on tight.

"Water." I croaked, and we laughed, finally sitting up. He got out of the bed, and moved to the door; turning back to look at me as he reached it, and looking like a freaking underwear model in nothing but his boxers that I'd bought him for Christmas.

"Jesus," Edward murmured, "This is actually happening…" I laughed, and he shook his head in awe as he walked out of the room. I heard the thump of his feet down the stairs, and stretched my arms above my head, feeling very fulfilled.

I jumped when my phone vibrated on the desk next to my bed, and crawled out of bed to check it. I frowned when I looked at it and the ID read: FORKS HOSPITAL

"Hello?" I asked, my blood running cold.

"Ms. Swan?"

"Yes…" Edward came in quietly, holding two glasses of water with ice cubes; the smile turning to a scowl at my expression.

"It's your father, Ms. Swan…I'm afraid he's in critical condition from a gunshot to the chest…we need you to come in immediately Ms. Swan. To be honest, there is a very very slim chance he will make it, and he's asking for you." The phone came clattering down onto the desk, and my whole world burst.


	3. Chapter 3

**General Taylor**

**Edward's POV:**

Somehow I knew when I left that room things would go wrong… In the moment I thought maybe Charlie would walk in and see me in my underwear and we'd have some serious explaining to do or worse Jacob would somehow find out what had happened, but nothing like this.

"Edward," Bella said, and I knew that phone call had been a catastrophe before that one word was uttered, "We need to go to the hospital…. It's Charlie… he's…" Tears built up in her eyes, but none spilled over, and she shook her head. "He's been shot. I need to go to him…" Immediately I whirled around and grabbed our clothing, sorting it out. From that point on it was as if she was in a trance. She put on her clothes at a steady pace, but I noticed her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She didn't speak the entire way to the hospital, and I kept stealing anxious glances at her, wondering what she was thinking but not even daring to ask.

Charlie didn't die immediately… he fought for his life for 3 weeks, and Bella sat by his bedside every minute, clutching his hand. The hospital didn't have the heart to tell her visiting hours were over, mainly because they knew his chances were very slim, and because of his rank in the police force. I came whenever I could, missing more school then not, and forcing Bella to sleep whenever she would be talked into it. She never said a word, but walked around like she was sleep-walking, and nodding or shaking her head when asked a question. She was holding his hand when he passed, and I was called by the nurse with a solemn voice; Miss Swan wouldn't leave the body.

I rushed to the hospital, and found that there were two brawny doctors trying to make her leave Charlie. One was speaking to her in a hushed voice, and the other was trying to pry her hand from her dead father's grasp. Bella was bawling, and my blood started to boil. I rushed over and shoved the doctor touching her, threatening him with a fist and wanting to hurt him because I wanted to blame someone, _anyone,_ for what was happening. Then I felt two slim cold arms wrap around my torso, and a too-thin body pressing against me. Bella was skin and bones when I wrapped my arms around her, and I glared at the doctor as I picked her up and carried her out of the Intensive Care Unit, murmuring soft words to her. _Walk him along boys, carry him along. _

Because I didn't know where else to take her, and because I knew Jake was looking for her, I took Bella to my house. From there things only went south. We curled up in my bed and slept and slept and slept until finally I woke up to light shining through my window into my face. I glanced around me and panicked when I realized she was gone.

**Bella's POV:**

"I thought you were gone," I heard Edward sigh with relief, and he came up from behind me to see what I was looking at. I wasn't seeing anything; I was just sitting in a computer chair, staring out his window trying not to think of anything.

"No, just Charlie." A lump rose in my throat, and I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand. Edward ran a hand over my hair which was wet from the shower.

"Bella, you-"

"What am I going to do Edward?" I cut him off, and began voicing one of my hundreds of concerns. "I'm an orphan, essentially. I can't go stay with Renee, I don't even know her and even if I did, nobody has any clue whatsoever where she is now….i don't have any aunts…any uncles…my grandparents are all dead." I choked on the word dead.

"Baby we'll figure this out…" He kissed my hair, "You'll stay with us, Bells." My stomach sank as a thought struck me.

"Oh God, Edward." My voice broke, "I'm not 18 like you…. They'll put me in a foster home…" I turned to look at him with wild eyes, and his were frightened too.

"Kids…?" Mrs. Cullen poked her head in, and I glanced up at her, not knowing what to do or say to the woman I had known most of my life. The woman who had always been more kin to me than my biological mother. "Hey there, I heard the shower, and I figured you were awake…"

"Mom, how long have we been asleep?" Edward asked, and I realized I'd been wondering that too. She took a peek at her watch.

"In twenty minutes it'll be three days." She said, and we both gasped, "Bella," she addressed me, and I looked at her eyes that were identical to Edward's. "The…arrangements have all been made…the funeral will be the day after tomorrow ok?" I nodded numbly, "If you two are hungry there're sandwich makings." She paused awkwardly, "I really must go to work now but I suggest you eat something darling." She finally opened the door all the way and gave Edward a huge bear hug, like she was afraid his fate would end like my father's. I think something snapped in me at that point. The thought of anyone else I loved, especially Edward, dying was unbearable, and suddenly I felt the desperate need to get away from him. It was like if I didn't touch him or care for him or be near him then if he died it wouldn't hurt me. What I did next was crazy, and in the end I can only blame my reasoning on my grief.

**Edward's POV:**

As my mom wrapped her tiny arms around me like she thought she could protect me, I saw Bella slink out of the room in my peripheral vision and assumed she wanted to give us some time. But when my mother left for work, and I went downstairs, it was like there was a force-field between us, and no matter where I went, Bella had to be at least 6 feet away from me. Since I'd known Bella, we'd both been very physical. Using touches and prods and brushes of skin on skin to convey something or just merely let the other know we were right there. In my mind I thought that this would be the time in her life that she would need me the most, and so far I'd been right, basically keeping her alive while she willed Charlie to stay alive the hospital. But something had changed. That night she slept in the guest bedroom, and I frowned but went to my room, assuming that this was just her way of dealing with the grief, and just needed some space.

All too soon the day of the funeral came, and Bella wore the dress that I'd seen her wear when she left the house with Charlie to attend her great aunt Calla's funeral. This was a much more somber event. When we sat for the viewing, I took the seat next to her and she moved, selecting a seat which was inappropriate because those closest to the dead were supposed to sit nearest the body and her seat between strangers was three rows back. I frowned, and felt my heart ache, wondering what I had done wrong.

When we arrived at the burial sight, I kept my distance, since that was what she seemed to want, but when they performed the gun salute, she flinched at every fire, and I couldn't help myself. Instinctually I moved forward from the row behind her and pulled her into my arms.

"Don't _touch _me!" She shrieked, tears streaming down her face. Shocked, I stumbled back, and suddenly Carlisle had a hand on my shoulder, steadying me.

"Let her go, son. She's very upset." A few family friends, plus Jess and Angela stepped forward hesitantly as if to comfort her, but knowing that if they did she would scream again. Bella hunched her shoulders forward and cried into her black-gloved hands, her whole body shaking. As if out of a nightmare, Jacob strode forward, and pulled her roughly to his body. I was clueless as to how he had gotten invited at first, but soon remembered that his father had been friends with Charlie, and that he was technically Bella's boyfriend, despite what had occurred.

My heart ached like it had been stabbed when she turned into him, and he wrapped his arms all the way around her, as I would have done. My body was numb as I turned to watch the end of the funeral, and I rode home with my parents in silence when it was over, Bella riding in a separate limousine. When I looked out my window later that night, the lights in her house were on, and I could see her moving around in her room, which was directly across from mine. She'd put up a sheet in the window so I couldn't see her.

**Bella's POV:**

When the limousine dropped me off in front of my house that had once been a home, I went inside and put my delicate beaded wristlet on the coffee table in the living room. The Lazy Boy Charlie always sat in when he got home from work caught my eye, and I stood staring at it for a good five minutes, picturing him in it, and then curled up in it, smelling him and crying, thinking all my "What-ifs" and "Wish-I-hads". When I felt like I couldn't cry anymore I thought about my future.

I was so stupid. I had no clue what would happen to me. Looking back, I probably could have found a way to live with the Cullen's, because Edward's father was so well-known for his research in cures for cancer around the country. Eventually I would have gotten over being scared about everyone I loved dying, and I would have been fine. Broken, but fine...eventually. I could have returned to school and dumped Jacob and started dating Edward… somehow we would have made it work.

But in that moment, in my exhausted and grief-stricken mind, none of that occurred to me, and all I could think about was foster homes, and how I refused to wind up in one of those horrible places. So I packed. I packed and i left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Five Years Later…**

**Chapter 4: Gravity. **

**Bella's POV:**

I yawned as I walked into the kitchen, my ancient sweatpants that were once Edward's slipped down around my hips as I pressed START on the coffee machine and stuck a bagel in the toaster. I walked into my little living room, and Dante sat up from his place on the couch, wagging his tail lightly in greeting, but not bothering to come over.

"Hey buddy." I cooed as I walked over to stroke the soft rippled fur on his ears. Around a year ago, Aro had given him to me as a birthday gift.

"_He's born from two of the most outstanding bloodlines of his breed. A gem, just like you Bell." He'd said as he handed me the little fluff ball; a red and white Irish Setter puppy. I grinned, and cradled him against my chest while he let me maneuver him calmly; other puppies would have shook with fear of being dropped, but the pup couldn't seem to be bothered. _

"_What're you gonna name him?" Aro asked as I cuddled his little warm body close to me. _

"_Name him Bubbles!" One of the girls shouted before I could answer._

"_No! Name him Candy!" Rosalie chimed in. _

"_That's dumb, he totally looks like a Buster." Alice chirped. I frowned at the puppy, and looked into his little eyes. They were noble, calm, and slightly sad, like he was a hundred years old and knew the woes of the world, instead of an eight week old puppy. _

"_I like Dante." I said. Aro smiled, and that was that. _

I snapped out of my memory as the bagel popped up, and the smell of French Vanilla Roast filled the apartment.

"Mmmm," I grinned at my dog. "Breakfast huh Dante?" He stood up and stepped carefully down from the couch, his broad chest meeting the ground, and his tail straight up in the air as his stretched the tiredness from his limbs. He trotted behind me as I padded into the kitchen, and started his bowl after adding a liberal amount of jelly and butter to my own breakfast. Leaning against the counter, I watched him devour breakfast while i dug into my bagel, until my I heard the coffee machine _ping! _and turned to add cream and sugar to the delicious dark nectar.

After finishing my breakfast, I changed into clothes and packed my purse, making sure to pack enough money for groceries after I got off work.

"Bye big man." I kissed Dante on his white forehead, and he wagged his tail pleasantly again, having enough manners at least to wait for me to leave the apartment before he hopped back up to his place on the couch.

I checked my watch: 3:45 PM..

"Shit shit shit!" I picked up my pace, and started speedwalking to the bus stop, because I was now extremely late on a big day.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Aro the bus was extremely slow today the dude who normally drives must be sick or something cause' there was this new guy and he-" my lies were cut short as Aro corralled me to my mirror and handed me my least favorite outfit in my wardrobe.

"Are you insane? This is Emmet Heller and you almost made me put Rose in?" Aro hissed. I opened my mouth to atleast get out of wearing the hideous nurse costume "Don't you _dare _complain about your costume either. You made me have a heart attack, so you're wearing whatever I tell you to wear, and you'll like it. You look sexy in the nurse outfit, the guy likes you in the nurse outfit, so stop complaing and own it." Pouting, I took the clothing, if you can call it that, and started putting it on as Aro strode away to look for his guests.

"Bitch. I was _this _close to taking your damn glory." Rose grinned, and leaned against my mirror's ledge for keeping makeup and perfume and other trinkets. I noticed she was already dressed in the same outfit i was putting on, and knew she was just being nice because she was secrety pissed that I showed up, but I didn't care.

"Not today Rosalie." We laughed as I slipped on my heels, and I started on my makeup.

After I ran away from Forks, and all I'd ever known in this world, I traveled, with no destination in mind but to get as far away from the people I knew as possible. I bounced around for about a year with no more than 20 bucks in my pocket and nowhere to go until one day I met Rose in Philadelphia at a cafe.

"_What the FUCK." I'd just turned around too fast with a steamed Chai in my hands, and accidently knocked it down the sweater of the six foot tall blonde girl standing behind me. _

"_Oh my God!" I exclaimed, half sorry for this girl, half sorry for losing the tea. "I am so so sorry." I felt my brow crease, and knew I was about to cry even before the tears welled up and over my lids. It was all just too much at the moment, and suddenly the girl looked a little frightened and shocked at my crying. _

"_Ok uhm it's not that big of a deal I guess…" her voice softened "I'm sorry I snapped at you I just have been up all night and i'm really exhausted." She grabbed my arm so we wouldn't be in the the way, and I blindly followed her to the bathroom. "Ok stop it."She was frowning now. "I said I'm sorry, ok?" I nodded, and she gave me a paper towel to wipe my eyes. "What's your name, anyway?" _

So I'd wound up telling her most of my story, leaving out the fact that I was only around 18 at that point, and she took me in. It started with just sleeping on her couch, but then she took me to her work to see if her boss would let me have a job. The club was called _BED _and once I learned what it was all about, and Aro proclaimed that with a lot of work I would suffice, I started working there as a dancer/performer.

Four years later, men came from all over the city to see me dance, and Aro had made a real name for the place. For instance, that day Emmett Heller, a serious name in the drug scene in Philly, had come to the club to talk to his business partners or whatever because I was there. Of all the clubs he could go to he choose _BED _for its reputation in having discretion with men of his…status, but also because over the past six months or so he'd become totally smitten with me. Or atleast he said so.

Finally dressed up in my skimpy little nurse's outfit, I waited for Aro to give me the signal that he was ready for me. In about twenty minutes, he came in the room and waved me in, which meant it was show time. I checked my teeth to make sure there were no blemishes, and examined my reflection one last time. _Perfect. _I walked into the room, already grinning for the men, but my smile was wiped off my face the second I walked in the room.

**Edward's POV:**

Bella was always a smart girl. When she went missing, and the police, including some of Charlie's best friends from the force, began their search I knew they would never find her. Clearly she had run away, and if that was the case, then no one would find her in a million years.

Five years, later, though, the police had found her. Just not in the way I'd thought.

After i got over the initial shock and grief over losing Bella and her father in the same week, I threw myself into school. I decided that if I couldn't have what mattered most to me in this world, I would get on with the second best thing, which was some semblance of the people I'd lost. So I decided to become a cop, and when that wasn't enough, I became a detective.

Currently, I was working undercover as a high level drug dealer who was supplying to many people in Philadelphia. I had worked this case for months, building up my rep. in order to get a meeting with Emmett and Jasper Heller, so that I could get in their group and arrest as many of the bastards as I could, before they could kill more innocent people, like the man who had shot Charlie.

I never expected Bella to show up in the middle of our business smeeting.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Hey Girl**

**Bella's POV:**

It was like our eyes were magnetically drawn to each other or something, that's how quickly our gazes met. Five years scratched themselves out of my memory, and suddenly we were 17 and 18 again, laying in my bed with the flowers on the sheets, and the teddy bear Mr. Skittles that Edward had bought me when we were in 7th grade and I got the flu. We were lying there in awe of what we'd done, with our hearts aching with happiness for the fact that we'd finally let the pieces between us fall into place. It was that time before we'd made the huge mistake of leaving that haven, because that's when everything had been ruined.

"Bella! Edward, Jasper, this is the little fox I've been telling you about." My smile flew back to my face as if on command at his voice, and I tore my gaze away from Edward, giving Emmett my full attention as I floated across the room towards them, swinging my hips like Aro had taught me, letting each step hit with the perfect amount of force and giving my body a tilt that I knew made me appear confident, sexy as hell, and elegant at the same time. It was a walk that I'd worked on for hours at a time and mastered. I felt a herd of eyes looking me up and down as I made my way over, and I tried to keep my cool as I realized that Edward's were one of them. I closed my eyes briefly as I wondered what he was thinking about me, and then realized that he was probably into the drug scene now.

_What the fuck happened to him after I left? _I took a deep breath. _Keep your calm, Bell. He's just another customer, you can't let him screw this up for you. _

"Well hello there." I leaned into flattering light and let my eyes widen to a point where I knew they would catch the light attractively as I sat between Jasper and Emmett and turned to the biggest name in drugs in Philly. "Mr. Heller, I have to thank you for the pearls you sent me last weekend. They're gorgeous, you really shouldn't have." The saltwater pearls had to have been picked out by some tasteful gay personal assistant, because Emmett was not exactly known for his sense of style. He preferred expensive suits and gold chains, almost exclusively.

"They got nothing on you baby. You're the gorgeous one, they'll just pale in comparison. And call me Emmett, I've told you before." I tried to smile demurely as I tucked my chin in and shifted my eyes down. I could feel his eyes taking the chance to peruse my cleavage as I looked away.

"Emmett, then." I flashed him my pearly whites once more, making eye contact with him, and laying my hand lightly on his thigh as if we were close friends. I heard knuckles crack in agitation somewhere off to my right, and I didn't let myself linger on the thought that the sound may have come from Edward at my personal gesture towards this man. "So who are these handsome gentlemen you've brought today?" He only ever brought his really close inside men to _BED _to talk about business. I could've had Emmett arrested several times over simply by testifying, but he gave such good tips, and kept buying me such expensive things that I really had no reason to.

"This is Jasper, my younger brother. I never had him helping me before, because I wanted him to mature a little bit, but you'll get used to seeing him around. Baby, stand up and let me see you in that sexy outfit; you know I love that outfit." The room was set up in a circular way with a small platform directly across from the table the guys sat at that extended to a catwalk that went behind them so that I could peruse the whole room. There were poles scattered throughout so that I could do little sexy moves as I continued dancing. I started on a pole right in front of Emmett, jumping up high and curling my legs around the pole as I spun slowly down, making sure that he got a good view of my ass. I came down from the pole and did a twirl around it, stopping in front to squat with my head thrown back, my eyes closed. I hardly dared to ask the question, but I couldn't stop myself.

"And the other?" He paused, and let my head drop, opening my eyes and making sure I looked dead sexy as I let them smolder into Emmett's as if I wanted to pounce on him. The tricks of my line of work were vast, and since I'd started so young I'd mastered them all, which is why I was so popular at _BED_. It was also why Aro loved me so much.

"The other I believe you know." My brow creased, and I arched my back as I rose fluidly, hiding my expression, and feigning innocence. "Yes baby, I didn't get to where I am today by being in perceptive and letting little details fly past me. I saw the look on your face when you walked in."

"Emmett, you can't possibly-" Edward started. It was like a little jolt of electricity shot through me when I heard his voice. Though my stomach had sunk, and I felt as though I'd somehow gotten us both in trouble, it didn't stop my spirit from soaring when I heard his musical voice that hadn't changed at all.

"Shut up." Emmett cut him off. I'd moved into the shadows to walk behind their seats, and ran my hands lightly over Emmett's shoulders, which were now stiff with suspicious tension. "How do you know him, Bell?" He growled. I giggled lightly, trying to sound confident, and bent to his ear like I was telling him a big secret but saying it loud enough that everyone could hear. I knew exactly how this man's mind worked, and I just prayed I was doing the right thing.

**Edward's POV:**

"I took his virginity." My eyes widened at her honesty, and my heart started beating even faster than it had when she walked in. Emmett turned to look at me with guarded eyes, and I realized again how close I was to not only blowing my case, but probably being shot dead as well.

"That true?" He asked gruffly, and I swallowed before answering.

"Yep. You remember I told you I grew up over on Olney Ave? Bella here lived in my neighborhood, didn't you Bells?" I willed her to go along with the lie, and she feigned it perfectly, even managing to look a little nostalgic with her next words.

"Edward and I grew up on the same block." She grinned, and I wondered when she'd grown up so much. She had never been a liar when we were kids, and now she was flawlessly making up a fake childhood as she went along. "All of a sudden in senior year he shot up and I just had to have him." She giggled girlishly, and started sauntering back in front of us, confident now that she was in control of the untruth, and essentially the conversation too, because her last drop to the floor and curling of her spine back up had left us all speechless. She started moving her body in a wave, chest out first, then followed by her tummy, hips, ass, and thighs, and sent me a suggestive smile. "We go wayyyyy back, don't we honey?" I was entranced by the movement her body was copying over and over, and when she stopped to come over and straddle me, it was almost too much. I forgot that I was supposed to be a troubled kid from the streets of Philly who somehow made it to the Big-Leagues of drug dealing until I saw the look on her face. Now that they couldn't see her expression, she'd opened her eyes wide, trying to urge a response out of me.

"Yeah." I croaked out. "Bella was my first, and man you couldn't really ask for more." Might as well stick to the truth as long as it was safe. Bells' eyes relaxed, and she seemed to suddenly realize our close proximity, because she disengaged herself gracefully, and started moving lithely against the pole in front of us again, her face a mask of confidence that hid any other emotion she may be feeling. "I had no idea you worked here." Emmett, thank God, seemed to be buying the whole story, and he turned to me, a grin on his face.

"God damn," he laughed, "I was ready to smoke you, Ed." I smiled back, not doubting his words for a second. He turned back to watch my Bella dance. "Jesus, you are one lucky guy. She won't let me fuck her…yet." He winked at me, and I barely resisted the urge to jump over Jasper and strangle him, just like I had when Bella had put her hand on his leg.

"Emmett, we should probably give them some time to catch up, don't you think?" Jasper, who was a man of few words, piped up. _God damn it, no. _I closed my eyes against his words. I didn't want to be alone with this woman who'd once broken my heart into a million pieces. Emmett examined Bella, who was turned away from us, but still dancing. I couldn't even be sure if she was listening to our conversation.

"That's not necessary, really." I said, and held up my palms in a gesture of surrender. "Bella and I said all our words a long time ago." Emmett looked at me sharply.

"I come here a lot, and I like this girl right here. I don't want any strife between you two. Bella?" She focused her eyes in on him, seeming to be coming from out of a dream or deep thought.

"Yes?"

"Is there anyone else who can come dance for me and my brother while we discuss and you catch up with Edward?" She turned and looked towards the room from which she'd come.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure there's someone who is ready… Rose!" She raised her voice a little, and a tall blonde came striding in, dressed up in the same skimpy costume Bella had on. There was no doubting that she looked gorgeous, Emmett couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her, but she had nowhere near the effect that Bella had had on me. "This is Rosalie, she can take care of you tonight." The blonde looked at her with a confused expression as she passed her, but didn't miss a beat and automatically began a witty conversation with Emmett in low tones. Before I knew what was happening, Bella had grabbed my hand and was practically dragging me out of the room.


End file.
